The present invention relates to a new and distinct perennial variety of Phormium tenax, which has been given the variety denomination of ‘PHOS3’. Its market class is that of an ornamental plant. ‘PHOS3’ is intended for use in landscaping and as a decorative plant.
The Phormium tenax variety ‘PHOS3’ was finally selected in 2002 in an Australian nursery in the state of New South Wales following a selection process carried out from 1999 to 2001 involving large quantities of common open pollinated Phormium tenax production stock. ‘PHOS3’ is a single seedling selected from open pollinated common Phormium tenax. ‘PHOS3’ was selected due to its bronze with orange toned leaf color and survival from exposure to the plant pathogen phytophthora, known as phytophthora root rot. ‘PHOS3’ was first propagated asexually by division in the state of New South Wales, Australia and has since been asexually propagated by division and micropropagation. The distinctive characteristics of the inventive ‘PHOS3’ variety are stable from generation to generation; clones of the variety produced by asexual reproduction maintain the distinguishing characteristics of the original plant. In comparing ‘PHOS3’ to “common Phormium tenax” reference to “common” means typical seedling forms of un-improved or wild types as used in hoticultural industries and home gardens.
‘PHOS3’ has a medium growth habit with a medium shoot density whereas common Phormium tenax has a variable growth form ranging from short to tall plant height and sparse to dense shoot density. ‘PHOS3’ has orange tones incorporated into its bronze leaf color whereas other bronze colored Phormium tenax do not have such orange tones prominent. ‘PHOS3’ has a narrow leaf width compared to other forms of Phormium tenax. ‘PHOS3’ has a strong resistance to phytophthora root rot whereas common Phormium tenax has weak resistance.
An application for plant breeders' rights for variety ‘PHOS3’ has been lodged with the Australian Plant Breeders' Rights Office, and was first gazetted in January 2006 under Application No. 2005/350.